Internal-combustion motor.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

0. 0. RIOTTE. INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1,

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APPLICATION FILED MAB.5,1904.

No. 794.688. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. 0. 0. RIOTTE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR.

APPLIOATIQN FILED MAR. 5, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Mme-coco No. 794,683. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. C. C. RIOTTB.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I [mugs E UNITED STATES Patented July 11, 1905:.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARL C. RIOTTE, OF N EIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD MOTORCONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. I

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,683, dated July 11,1905.

' Application filed March 5, 1904. Serial No. 196,643.

To a, whom. it Tit/Ly concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL C. RIor'rE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal CombustionMotors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to engines of the internal-combustion type, themain objects being to provide in a motor of this type a constructionwhich shall be simple, durable, positive in handling and in controlling,and which shall be reversible and self-starting in either direction.

In the accompanying drawings l have shown one form of my invention, inwhich- Figure l is a side elevation of an engine constructed to embodymy invention. Fig. 2 is a relatively enlarged side elevation, partly insection, of a portion of the engine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an endview of the'parts shown in Fig. 2, the fly-wheel being removed. Figs. 4,5, 6, and 7 are diagrammatic views, on an enlarged scale, of certaincams and adjacent cooperating parts.

In the engine shown in the drawings the.

type is of the four-cycle variety and there are six cylinders,(indicated at A, B, C, D, E, and F.) The usual pistons (not seen) areemployed, together with the usual connecting-rods and cranks. The cranksare so set that there is no dead-center. Hence in starting the enginethere is always one crank at least in such a position that animpellingforce applied to its piston will move it and cause the main shaft torotate inthe desired direction.

1 is the main shaft.

2 is a cam-shaft, the same being geared to the shaft 1 by any suitablesystem of gears so that said shaft 2 will rotate at one-half the speedof the engine shaft. In the drawings, 3, I, 5, and 6 are casingscovering the gears (not seen) by which the said motion is transmittedfrom the main shaft to the cam-shaft 2. The cam-shaft 2 has alongitudinal-sliding action in the gear contained in casing 5, the samebeing effected by the well-known featherspline. This sliding action isprovided so that said shaft 2 may be shifted longitudinally withoutaltering the position of the said gear. In the particular form of myinvention shown in the drawings I have provided an extension from thecam-shaft 2, which I shall term a secondary cam-shaft 7. The earn-shafts2 and 7 are driven simultaneously at the same speed by means of gears 8and 9. The shaft 2 and the secondary shaft 7 have a simultaneouslongitudinal-shifting action, the same being effected by means of alever 10, which carries a toothed segment 11, Fig. 3, taking into a rackformed by a series of annular teeth 12 on the shaft 2.

13 14 are two circular plates of slightly larger diameter than the gear8, which may be afiixed to the shaft 2 on each side of the gear 8, theedges of said plates overstanding the sides of gear 9, as best seen inFig. 2, so as to practically connect said shafts 2 7. This constitutesone simple means which may be employed to cause said shafts 2 and 7 tomove simultaneously in the same direction.

Before describing the cam action I will refer to certain other featuresand parts of the engine which should first be understood.

15 is an air-pipe leading from a suitable compressed-air reservoir. Notshown.) In the form shown this pipe 15 branches off at the head to thethree cylinders A, B, and C.

15 is an air-valve in said pipe.

16 is a gas-pipe branching off to all of the cylinders of the engine.

17 is an exhaust pipe having suitable branches to each of the cylinders.

18 is an air-compressor suitably connected with the engine-for example,to the main shaft 1-so that when desired the said compressor may bethrown into action for the purpose of storing in any suitable reservoircompressed air at the desired pressure.

19 is a water-supply pipe by which water may be conducted to a jacketaround the several cylinders to prevent overheating.

20 is the water-outlet pipe, which may discharge in the exhaust-pipe 17.

21 is a gas-charge inlet-valve located in each of the cylinders andprovided to control the- Each valve 21 is of the gas-charge passages.puppet type in the preferred form.

22 is an exhaust-valve located in each cylinder, provided to control theexhaust-passages. This valve 22 is mechanically actuated in the mannerhereinafter described.

23 is a mechanically-actuated independent air-valve by which compressedair maybe allowed to enter the cylinder at the proper time. In thedrawings I have shown only three of the six cylinders as equipped withthese air-valves 23, contemplating theuse of compressed air in onlyone-half of the cylinders in starting the engine. Each air-valve 23 ispreferably of the balanced type, requiring only a light spring 23 tokeep it normally seated. Each air-valve 23 is equipped with a valve-stem23.

24 is a sparker or igniter, which may be of any approved style, butwhich in the form shown is of the make-and-break variety. An igniter 24is applied to each of the cylinders A to F, so as to ignite the chargein each of said cylinders at the proper moment, which moment may bevaried in any well-known manner or in the manner hereinafter shown anddescribed which constitutes one preferred form of shifting the so-calledlead of the spark in either direction irrespective of the direction ofrotation of the engine.

25 is the lever by which the lead of the spark is varied and controlled.26 is a shaft to which said lever 25 is connected and which may be givena partial rotation by shifting the position of the lever 25. Upon thisshaft 26 is rotatably supported a frame 27, having two arms 28 and 29.The arm 28 bears under the exhaust-valve stem 22, while the arm 29supports an antifriction-roller 30, which has a fiat periphery of acertain width useful for the purpose hereinafter described, while eachedge of the roller adjacent to the flat periphery is preferably beveledoff also for the purpose hereinafter described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the roller 30 is elevatedthe frame 27 will rock on shaft 26 and through the medium of arm 28 willelevate the exhaust-valve stem 22 and open the exhaust-valve 22. Themeans for operating each exhaust-valve comprises two sets of cams, eachset including a main cam and a relief-cam. These sets of cams are spacedapart, so that when they stand in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2none of said cams would encounter the roller 30 if the engine wereturned over. Hence in this position the engine must necessarily be idle.Referring more particularly to the aforesaid cams, the mainexhaust-valve cams are'indicated at 31 and 32, while the relief-cams forthe respective main cams are indicated at 31 and 32, Figs. 2 and 5. Thecams 31 and 31 are placed (see Fig. 2) so that when the shaft 2 .hasbeen shifted to acertain position for start-.

ing the flat periphery of the roller 30 will ride over the tops of bothof the cams, and hence the exhaust-valve will be opened at eachrevolution of the engine. The cams 32 and 32 are likewise so placed thatif the shaft 2 should be moved to another certain position for startingthe engine in the opposite direction the said cams would move under theroller 30,so that the flat periphery of said roller would ride over thetop of each of the same. Both ends of the cams 31 and 32, are beveled orinclined, while the adjacent inner ends of the main cams 31 and 32 onlyneed be beveled. The top of each main cam 31 and 32 is of such a lengththat when the cam-shaft 2 is thrown to the limit of its excursion ineither direction one of said main cams will continue to actuate theexhaust-valve, although its respective relief cam '31 or 32 will bemoved to one side, so as not to operate said valve. The angular positionof the cams 31 and 32 is such that one set (31 and 31, for example) willoperate the exhaust-valve when the .engine is running in one direction,while the other set will operate the exhaust-valve when the engine isrunning in the opposite direction. Between both sets of cams there issuf- [icent space to receive the roller 30 and to allow it to remainidle.

Turning now to the means for controlling the admission of compressed airfor starting the engine, 33 is a shaft which may rotatably support aframe 34, from which frame project the arms 35 36. The arm 35 bearsunder the airvalve stem 23", while the arm 36 supports a roller 37,having a flat periphery and beveled edges. Upon the secondary shaft 7 ismounted two sets of cams 38 38 and 39 39. Both ends of each of thesecams are beveled, and both sets are spaced apart, so as to afford aneutral or idle position to receive the roller 37. In Fig. 2 the rollers30 and 37 are shown 4 in the neutral position with a set of cams on eachside. When the shaft 2 is shifted, it also moves the shaft 7, they"being practically a continuation one of the other. The result is that onthe first step of the movement in either direction one set of cams 38 or39 will be thrown into such position as to raise one of the rollers 37and open one of the air-valves 23. Simultaneously one of the sets ofcams 31 31 or 32 32 will be thrown into position to operate theexhaust-valve. The admission of compressed air into one of the cylinderswill cause the piston therein to descend and start the engine; When thesame piston as: cends, the exhaust-valve 22 will be opened by one of thecams 31 31 or 32 32, so as to relieve the pressure therein to allow thepiston to ascend freely. There being two cams in each of the sets ofair-cams, it is obvious that air will be admitted to the cylinder at thetop of each stroke of the piston therein. Consequently an'impulse willbe given to each downstroke of the piston located in any cylinder intowhich compressed air is admitted. As indicated above, the shaft 2 andits extension 7 is shifted by means of a lever 10. When it is shifted tothe first or starting position in either direction, which may beindicated by means of a notch in a suitable sector 10, the engine ma) bestarted under the power of the compressed air admitted to the cylindersA, B, and C. Simultaneously therewith the pistons in the other cylindersD, E, and F are being operated, and hence they each will draw in andcompress acharge of gas, which will be fired by the sparker 24 at theproper moment, thus supplementing the powerof the compressed air instarting theengine. In this manner the work of the compressed air issubstantially lessened and the engine will respond quickly to the desireof the operator in starting, stopping, or reversing. If there arecharges of gas in the cylinders into which the compressed air isadmitted, the introduction of air will not render said chargesnonexplosive, but because of the increased compression will render thesame more readily explosive. Hence when the engine is started thesecharges ignite and expand and supplement the compressed air, producing avery powerful starting efiort. It should be stated that on the shaft 2there is a double set of cams for operating the exhaust-valve in eachcylinder similar to those already described. When the cylinders I),E,-and F have begun to operate under the power of the expanding gas, theoperator may shift the lever 10 to the farthermost notch in the sector10, which action shifts the shaft 2 and its extension 7 and the camscarried thereby, which movement shifts the particular relief-cam 31 or32, as the case may be, out of range of the roller 30, and it alsoshifts the particular aircams 38 or 39 out of the range of action of therollers 37, whereupon the admission of compressed air to all of thecylinders is discontinued, and the first three cylinders A, B, and C,the main shaft being driven by the cylinders D, E, and F, will start tooperate after the manner usual in engines of the internaleombustiontype. In starting the engine there is no suction stroke in any of thecylinders into which compressed air is admitted.

This is so because the said compressed air is introduced at the top ofeach stroke of the to a rocking frame 24 pivoted to the under side of abracket 24, which latter is keyed on shaft 26. Upon the shaft 2 are twooppositely-faced earns 40 41, which are spaced apart, as indicated insolid and dotted lines,

so on.

I Fig. 2, a distance sufficient to allow the trips 24 and 24 of theigniter mechanism to stand in a neutral position, wherein neither of thecams 4O or 41 will engage said trips. Since the longitudinal shifting ofthe shaft 2 will also shift the cams 40 41, said shifting of the shaftin one direction will bring the cam 40 into proper position to engagethe trip 24, while in the opposite direction it will bring the cam 41 tothe position to engage the trip 24 The trip 24 may swing in onedirection while it is blocked inthe other direction. The trip 24 iscorrespondingly mounted, but has its swinging movement in a directionopposite to that of the trip 24 When the engine is in motion and the cam40, for example, is operating, it will ride under the trip 24 andelevate the rod 24 preparatory to actuating the igniter, which willoccur when the high part of the cam passes said trip and allows thelatter to drop quickly. The cam 41 acts in a similar manner to the cam40, although only when the engine is running in the opposite direction.The cazn 41 operates the igniter through the medium of the trip 24 only.

To vary the time of the spark, the lever may be shifted. This shiftingof this lever rotates the shaft 26 and moves the bracket 24 (see Fig.4)so as to change the position of the trips 24 and 24 relatively to theircams 41 40, respectively. Obviously this shifting of the tripsrelatively to the cams causes the said moment or time of the spark to bevaried. For example, if the shaft 26 (shown in Fig. 4) should be shiftedclockwise,

it would move the trip 24 to the left. The

consequence is the cam would actuate the same more quickly than ifitstood in the position indicated in said Fig. 4.

I have not attempted to illustrate the vaporizer by which gas issupplied to the cylinders, nor have I attempted to illustrate thecompressed-air-supply tank, since the same may be well understoodwithout special illustration. r

Operation: Assuming the parts to be in the position indicated in Fig. 1and the engine motionless and assuming it is the desire of the operatorto start the engine in a forward direc tion, he first moves the lever 10into the first right-hand notch of sector 10. This act shifts the camsinto the positions hereinbefore mentioned and opens one of theair-valves 23 ready for the admission of the compressed air into one ofthe first three cylinders A, B, or C. The operator then opens theair-valve 15*. The admission of compressed air into one of the cylindersA, B, or C causes the piston therein to descend, starting the engine.Just before this piston reaches-its lowermost position air is admittedto the next cylinder in which the piston is uppermost, causing thepiston in said second cylinder to descend, and Simultaneously gas isbeing drawn into, compressed, and exploded in the other ITO . length andposition.

cylinders D, E, and F, supplementing the power of the compressed air instarting the engine. Of course during the starting of the engine all ofthe relief-cams are in operation to relieve the compression in all ofthe cylinders, thereby offering less resistance to the starting of themotor. When the cylinders D, E, and F are all in operation, theair-valve 15may be closed and the lever 10 shifted to the furthermostnotch in the sector 10', which act throws out of operation the air-camsand the relief-cams; but the exhaust-valve cams still continue to act,owing to their greater When this occurs, the cylinders D, E, and Ewillbe operated under full compression, giving a powerful impulse to theengine sufiicient to cause the cylinders A, B, and C to draw in gas andoperate after the usual manner. When the operator desires to reverse themotor, the lever 10 is moved to the central notch or intermediateposition, whereupon all of the cams will be thrown out of the range ofthe several operating devices which they control. The several cylinderswill then act as dash-pots to resist the free movement of the pistonstherein, thus bringing the engine to a standstill almost instantly, yeteasily and with a cushioning efiect. To reverse, the lever 10 is movedto the left and hooked into the first notch in the sector 10. Compressedair is again admitted and the engine started thereby, and under suchconditions the gas within the cylinders into which the compressed air isadmitted may also be ignited and expanded, with the result that only acomparatively small amount of compressed air is required to produce avery powerful starting effort. When the cylinders D, E, and F areoperating in the manner above referred to, the lever 10 is moved intothe further-most notch, cutting out the relief-cams and the air-cams, sothat more gas may be drawn in through the charge-inlets, compressed, anddischarged in cylinders A, B, and G the same as in cylinders D, E, andF.

As above indicated, the angular position of all of the cams is suchrelatively to the angular position of the main shaft that all the camson one side will cooperate in such a manner as to cause the engine torun properly in one direction, while all the cams on the other side willcooperate in such a manner as to cause the engine to run properly in anopposite direction.

It is obvious that the shaft 7 is merely an extension of the shaft 2.All of the cams might by being arranged more compactly be placed upon asingle shaft; but such a modification would be obvious to the mechanicskilled in the art and need not be shown or described.

The number of cylinders employed is obviously immaterial. The number ofcylinders into which compressed air is admitted is also immaterial solong as the compressed air may be supplied to a suffi cient number toobviate the danger of the engine stopping on any dead-center. Compressedair might, in fact, be admitted to all of the cylinders atzthe outsetand then cut out of said cylinderssuccessively. In this event the enginemight be started by compressed air alone and then gradually transformedinto a normally acting internal-combustion motor, the compressed air andthe exploding charges acting simultaneously, or substantially so, duringthe said transformation.

It will be observed that the relative widths of the three camstheexhaust-cam, the relief-cam, and the air-cam-are such that while saidcams are in one position all of them will be operating conjointly toperform certain important functions, including admitting air underpressure at each downstroke of each piston' and of relieving thecompression at each upstroke thereof. When such cams are shifted to theposition in which they stand when the engine is running normally, onlythe main exhaust-cams will be operating. In other words, the width andposition of each main exhaust-cam relatively to its relief-cam and itsair-cam is such that it will continue to operate when the relief-cam andcompressed-air cam are idle or thrown out.

l/Vhile of course it is preferred that the cranks of this engine shouldbe so set as to prevent the possibility of any dead-center in thosecylinders into which compressed air is admitted in starting,nevertheless an arrangement might be made in which it might be possiblefor the said cranks to stop on a deadcenter, and yet in such case myinvention would be applicable, since if the user found the engine to beon a dead-center he might turn the engine over to a sufficient extent toovercome the same, whereupon the compressed air would be available instarting. When so set, such an engine would be self-starting and mightembody many substantial advantages, but would not be of the preferredform.

What I claim is 1. The combination in a multiple-cylinder engine, of avalved charge-inlet and an exhaust-outlet for each cylinder, valvedcompressed-air inlets for a plurality of said. cylinders, means to openthe air-valves once in each revolution of the engine, means to normallyopen the exhaust-valves once in every two complete revolutions,supplemental means to open the exhaust-valves in alternation with thenormal opening means, and means for at will throwing out all thecompressed-air valves and the supplemental exhaust-valve-opening means.

2. The combination in a multiple-cylinder engine, of a valvedcharge-inlet and an exhaust-outlet for each cylinder, valvedcompressed-air inlets for a plurality of said cylinders means to openthe air-valves once in each revolution of the engine, means to normallyopen the exhaust-valves once in every two complete revolutions,supplemental means to open the exhaust-valves'in alternation with thenormal opening means, and means for at will simultaneously throwing outall the compressed-air valves and the supplemental exhaust-valve-openingmeans.

3. The combination ina multiple-cylinder engine, of a valvedcharge-inlet and an exhaust-outlet for each cylinder, valvedcompressed-air inlets for a plurality of said cylinders, means to openthe air-valves once in each revolution of the engine, means to normallyopen the exhaust-valves once in every two complete revolutions,supplemental means to open the exhaust-valves in alternation with thenormal opening means, and means for at will throwing out all thecompressed-air valves and the supplemental exhaust-valve-opening means,said valve-controlling means operating in either direction.

4. In combination, in an engine of the internal-explosion type, of aplurality of cylinders, a main shaft in common to all the cylinders,charge-inlets and exhaust-outlets for each cylinder, a valvedcompressed-air inlet for more than one but less than all of saidcylinders, means to open the air-valves once in each revolution of theengine, in starting, means to normally open the exhaustvalves once inevery two complete revolutions, supplemental means to open theexhaust-valves in alternation with the normal opening means, instartinlet and an exhaust-outlet for each cylinder, valvedcompressed-air inlets for a plurality of said cylinders, means tooperate the airvalves once in each revolution of the engine, means tonormally open the exhaust-valves once in every two complete revolutions,supplemental means to open the exhaust-valves in alternation with thenormal opening means, and means for at will throwing out of action allthe compressed-air valves and supplemental eXhaust-valve-opening means.

6. In combination with an engine of not less than three cylinders, of avalved chargeinlet and an exhaust-outlet for each of said cylinders,valved compressed-air inlets for a plurality of said cylinders, means tonormally open the exhaust-valves once in every two complete revolutions,supplemental means to open the exhaust-valves in alternation with thenormal opening means, and means for at will throwing into or out ofaction all the compressed-air valves and the supplementaleXhaust-valve-opening means.

7. In an engine of the internal-explosion type, six cylinders, a valvedcharge-inlet and an exhaust-outlet for each cylinder, valvedcompressed-air inlets for three of said cylinders, means to open each ofthe air-valves once in each revolution of the engine, means to normallyopen the exhaust-valves once in every two complete revolutions,supplemental means to open the exhaust-valves in alternation with thenormal opening means, and means for at will throwing out all thecompressed-air valves and the supplemental ex haust-valve-opening means.

Signed at New York city, New York, this 3d day of March, 1904.

CARL C. RIOTTE.

Witnesses:

R. O. MITCHELL, L. VREELAND.

